


Are Slytherins Brave?

by FanGirlyBree



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Multi, Not Canon Compliant
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-19
Updated: 2016-05-18
Packaged: 2018-06-09 08:41:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6899017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanGirlyBree/pseuds/FanGirlyBree
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After coming to Hogwarts, Albus Severus Potter is accepted into the Slytherin house. How will his family react? Will he be able to fit in with his new classmates? Or has the sorting hat made a mistake?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Are Slytherins Brave?

**Author's Note:**

> Okay! So a few notes here, I know that I make a few changes to 'canon' things, such as George being married to Angelina (I'm sorry but that just kind of creeps me out...) and we don't know which house Albus has been accepted into (I partly wanted to get this out now before Rowling tells us which house he gets into). I might go into a Scorpius/Albus relationship, but that wouldn't be until they're older. I'm kind of planning on doing a bit of time-skipping here and writing into when they're older, but I haven't decided 100% on that yet.

Albus Severus Potter really wasn’t expecting to be sorted into Slytherin. He was dreading it… everyone in his family, including his uncles and older brother, had been sorted into Gryffindor. His father had said that the sorting hat would take his choice into account, but it saw something so deeply inside of him that belonged in Slytherin. What was it about him? Did that mean he was bad? 

He felt the eyes of his brother following him in disbelief as he made his way across the great hall – to the table on the opposite side. Professor Longbottom even seemed surprised from his spot at the head table. He didn’t even notice when he sat next to the small blonde boy his Uncle Ron had pointed out when they got on the train. He blinked as Rose Weasley was called, looking up and hoping for a brief moment that she too would be sorted into Slytherin. Maybe then he would at least have someone he knew. The hope was fleeting, and the hat called out Ravenclaw after only a few moments on top of Rose’s head. 

Albus looked down again, biting the inside of his cheek. What was wrong with him? Why had he been put into Slytherin? He’d honestly thought that his father had been telling the truth when he’d said the hat would take his choice into account. He frowned, recalling the hat’s voice in his head. 

Another Potter, come to join Hogwarts, eh? You’re smart… yes, and I see great things coming from you in the future, boy. You don’t have the ambition yet, but you will. You’ll need people that can help you along, and Slytherin house is just the one that can help you. You’ll do great things with them beside you. 

‘Can’t I join Gryffindor?’ Albus thought desperately, ‘I’m brave and strong, too.’ He thought, although next to his brother he doubted that he seemed very brave or strong. 

I’m never wrong, Mister Potter. Slytherin house is where you will find your passion and your true friends. 

Albus sighed deeply, laying his head down on his arms in defeat. He’d asked to be in Gryffindor. He wanted to be in the house his parents had been in. He thought he was brave, chivalrous, and daring. True, he wasn’t really planning on breaking rules, or going out-of-bounds. He liked order and stability. He liked being able to know what was going to happen… but did that make him not brave? 

He watched as Headmistress McGonagall stood, giving the opening speech. Most of this he’d learned from James. He looked down at the food as it suddenly appeared, but the disappointment of being chosen for Slytherin house had dampened his appetite severely. He ate what he could before giving up entirely, setting down his fork and knife and waiting for the end of the feast. 

 

The common room was nothing like he’d been expecting. Having heard tales of the comfortable tower room in Gryffindor, he was shocked to find Slytherin’s common room was down in the dungeons. The circular windows looked out into the lake, and he gasped as he saw a gigantic tentacle for a brief moment before it disappeared into the darkness. The whole room was lit with a sort of eerie green glow, but it was comforting all the same. The fire was blazing on the cold night, and the warmth made Albus sleepy. 

“Welcome to Slytherin house.” The Prefect greeted the first years as he stopped in the middle of the common room. “Our symbol is the snake, and we’re known for our cunning, nerve, and ambition. Here we are committed to helping one another succeed. Now, I know that some of you might have some misconceptions about the Slytherin house, but I ask you to put those away. You’re one of us now, and as such you will be part of one of the most loyal houses there are here at the school. There have been dark wizards that came from Slytherin in the past, yes, but don’t forget that Merlin, one of the greatest wizards known was an alumni of Slytherin house. Head to your dormitories, now. Boys on the left, girls on the right. You’ll find your belongings in the room you’ll be spending the next seven years in; so get to know your roommates. We hope that you’ll be happy here in Slytherin, and we’re glad to have you.” The prefect wound up his speech, smiling at the first years. 

Albus sighed lightly, feeling slightly better after the Prefect’s speech. Maybe he really had heard wrong about Slytherin. Maybe it really would be okay… after all, his father had said that he was named after a Slytherin… and he had been brave, too. 

Albus settled in to his soft four-poster bed, noting that Scorpius, the young blonde boy, was his roommate as well. He glanced over at him, noticing that he looked nervous as well. Maybe it wasn’t just him… the other first-years were just as nervous. He’d be okay, right?

 

Albus was up earlier than any of his roommates, and he quickly got dressed before hurrying up to the owlery. This took a bit of work, as he’d only gotten instructions on how to get there from the Gryffindor common room from James. He found his way eventually, though, and quickly found his screech owl in the mess of owls. He had scribbled a hurried note to his parents, trying not to sound too accusatory when he mentioned that he’d asked to be put in Gryffindor but was put in Slytherin instead. He called his brown and white owl down, stroking his feathers gently. 

“Silver,” He began, sighing softly. He’d named the owl after the soft silver-green color of his eyes. “Will you take this to mom and dad? It’s okay if they can’t write back right away, but come back as soon as they write, okay?” He murmured. Silver hooted softly, taking off as soon as Albus had attached the letter to his leg. No sooner had the owl disappeared then James burst into the owlery, heaving his breath. He’d clearly run all the way here. 

“Al! There you are!” He gasped in-between breaths. “Listen, I didn’t really think you were gonna be sorted into Slytherin! What happened? Were you just too scared when the sorting hat was on your head? We can ask the Headmistress to re-do it, I’m sure she would if we explained…” 

“I don’t think it made a mistake, James.” Albus breathed, looking down. “I mean… I’m not brave like you and dad. I’m different. I knew I was different, but I just thought that because everyone else in the family was in Gryffindor that I would be too.” 

“You can be brave sometimes!” James insisted. 

“Slytherins can be brave sometimes, too.” Albus replied softly. James looked like he was in agony, and Albus smiled. “I’m not in Slytherin because you said I would be.” He assured his big brother softly. James groaned, leaning heavily against the wall and making several nearby owls hoot sleepily at him. 

“I thought we’d be in the same house.” James confessed, frowning. “I mean, it was gonna be nice to show you around.”

“You still can!” Albus squeaked slightly, his eyes widening. “I mean… Hagrid still wants to have us over for tea, and I couldn’t go see him by myself!” 

“Right.” James grinned, ruffling Albus’ hair playfully. “You wanna come down to breakfast with me? I mean, I think we’re supposed to sit at our own tables, but there’s no rule that says you can’t sit with me sometimes, right?” 

“Do you even follow the rules?” Albus asked in disbelief. 

“Sometimes.” James shrugged, jerking his head toward the exit and motioning for Albus to follow him out. 

 

Albus had Potions with the Ravenclaws on Wednesday that week, and he was looking forward to being able to talk to Rose about everything he’d been getting used to. He wanted to ask her if she’d told her dad yet as well, and how he’d reacted to the news. When he got into the class he waved happily at Rose and she took the seat on his left side; as the right had been taken by Scorpius. 

Honestly Scorpius didn’t talk much, so Albus didn’t mind if he was around. It wasn’t much different if he was around or not… and apparently Scorpius liked that Albus didn’t try to start conversation with him. 

“Did you write to your parents yet?” Albus asked Rose in a hushed tone, and Rose nodded, blushing lightly. 

“Dad wasn’t too happy at first, but mom said that he’d get over it. She was excited that I got into Ravenclaw. She even told me that she was almost in Ravenclaw too when she was here.” 

“Really?” Albus asked, his eyes lighting up. “My dad said he was almost in Slytherin.” He whispered, feeling for the first time that maybe he wasn’t as different as he thought he was. Rose smiled brightly, hugging her books to her chest in a happy way. 

“Do we have any other classes together?” Rose asked, digging through her bag to find her schedule. They looked at it together, smiling. 

“Potions and Herbology.” Albus read, furrowing his brow. “We don’t have elective classes until third year. Maybe we should pick some together then.” He offered, and Rose nodded, going silent as Professor Slughorn entered the room. 

“Welcome, welcome, students.” He greeted them all jovially, scanning each of their faces. He paused when he saw Rose and Albus sitting side-by-side. “Well dear me, if that sight doesn’t bring back memories.” He breathed, grinning at them. “You must be Miss Granger’s daughter – and you, if I’m not mistaken, are the son of Harry Potter.” He nodded down at Albus. “You look just like him. You even inherited the eyes. His mother’s eyes, you know. I taught her as well, back when she was here at Hogwarts.” Slughorn grinned at him. “You’re the first I’ve had in my house though, my boy. Quite a prize on my end, you see. Quite a prize.” He chuckled softly to himself before turning back to the board, beginning to tell them about the potions they would be covering that year.


End file.
